Big Horn County, Montana: commercial real estate data.
Big Horn County, Montana had an estimated 12,796 residents on July 1, 2024, down 2.5 percent since the 2020 census base of 13,125, across 4,995 square miles. County output reached $1.29 bn in 2024, 181 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 3 7(a) approvals worth $5.7 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Big Horn County
How many people live in Big Horn County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202412,891
- Households3,827
- Average household size3.37
- Median household income$58,750
- Median age31.9
- Median gross rent$697 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$143,400
- Home value to household income2.4 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income14.2 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher17.8 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree5.5 percent
- Adults 25 and over7,486
- Population under 184,041
- Share under 1831.3 percent
- Population 65 and over1,814
- Share 65 and over14.1 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 647,036
- Civilian labor force5,417
- Unemployment rate13.2 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over61.2 percent
- Rank by population among Montana counties15th of 56
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included2289th of 3,222
Big Horn County is the 15th largest of 56 Montana counties by population. A median home costs 2.4 times median household income, which is affordable by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 31.3 percent against 14.1 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Big Horn County
Is Big Horn County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 202412,796
- Census 2020 base population13,125
- Population change since the 2020 census base-2.51 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 2024-29
- Births, 2024183
- Deaths, 2024149
- Natural change, 202434
- Net domestic migration, 2024-61
- Net international migration, 2024-2
- Total net migration, 2024-63
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024-304
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents2636th of 3,144
The county has lost 2.51 percent of its population since the 2020 census base. More people left than moved in during 2024 and births over deaths did not make up the difference, so the population fell.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Big Horn County
Where are people moving to Big Horn County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving173
- People arriving, from those returns315
- Tax returns filed by households leaving199
- Net household movement-26
- Adjusted gross income arriving$6.3 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$-2.3 m
- Average income of an arriving household$36,676
- Average income of a leaving household$43,256
- Largest single originYellowstone County (78 households)
- Largest single destinationYellowstone County (104 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yellowstone County | 78 | 146 | $1.9 m |
Households arriving report $6,580 less average income than households leaving, which drains spending power even where headcount holds up. The largest single source of arrivals is Yellowstone County, which is the catchment a retail or multifamily study should look at first.
US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Big Horn County
What is the Big Horn County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$1.29 bn
- County GDP, 2023$1.20 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20247.5 percent
- GDP change over five years48.1 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Montana areas BEA publishes10th of 56
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes1643rd of 3,127
- GDP per resident$99,731
Output grew 7.5 percent in the latest year and 48.1 percent over five, which is the trend line a lender will read behind any single year figure.
US Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional, table CAGDP2, CAGDP2, through 2024.
Big Horn County
Employment by industry in Big Horn County
- Covered employment, annual average3,743
- Establishments reporting270
- Average annual pay$55,992
- Average weekly wage$1,077
- Retail trade, employment386
- Retail trade, average annual pay$33,058
- Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction, employment368
- Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction, average annual pay$98,052
- Accommodation and food services, employment188
- Accommodation and food services, average annual pay$20,207
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting, employment151
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting, average annual pay$45,283
- Transportation and warehousing, employment83
- Arts, entertainment and recreation, employment66
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 386 | 26 | $33,058 |
| Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction | 368 | 6 | $98,052 |
| Accommodation and food services | 188 | 22 | $20,207 |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting | 151 | 21 | $45,283 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 83 | 14 | $46,050 |
| Arts, entertainment and recreation | 66 | 12 | $26,932 |
| Finance and insurance | 63 | 12 | $51,576 |
| Other services, except public administration | 34 | 16 | $31,344 |
Retail trade is the largest private sector at 386 jobs, 10.3 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Big Horn County
How many businesses are in Big Horn County?
- Establishments, all industries181
- Employment at those establishments1,774
- Annual payroll$92.2 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents14.0
These are counts of establishments physically operating in the county, not listings, so they are the supply side a feasibility study measures demand against. County Business Patterns counts private establishments with paid employees in March 2023, while the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages above counts every unemployment-insured employer, public ones included, as a 2024 annual average, so the two establishment and employment counts differ.
US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Big Horn County
Building permits in Big Horn County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 20240
- Declared construction value permitted$0
- Single family units authorized0
- Multifamily units authorized0
No residential units were authorized by permit in 2024. In a small county this is common and is not by itself a sign of distress, but it does mean there is no recent residential pipeline to read demand from.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Big Horn County
SBA loans in Big Horn County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded3
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$5.7 m
- Average 7(a) approval$1,895,833
- Median 7(a) approval$1,975,000
- Largest single approval$2,400,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)40
- Jobs per approval13.3
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active3
- Distinct industries receiving approvals1
- Median 7(a) term300 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer66.7 percent
- Loans on real estate terms2
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter0
- Franchise loans0
- Franchise share of approvals0.0 percent
- Leading industry by approval countHotels (except Casino Hotels) and Motels (3)
- 504 approvals recorded2
- 504 gross approval dollars$879,000
- Average 504 approval$439,500
- Median 504 approval$439,500
- Distinct CDCs active1
- 504 jobs per approval16.0
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved36.4
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$6.6 m
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30. US Small Business Administration, 504 FOIA release, FY2010 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Big Horn County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Big Horn County
Do SBA loans in Big Horn County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded0
- Paid in full0
- Charged off0
- Status: Exempt from disclosure2
- Status: Cancelled1
Only 0 loans have reached a final outcome, fewer than the 30 a charge-off rate needs, so no rate is published.
Compare against the national and state SBA charge-off rates, computed the same way over resolved loans only.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Big Horn County
SBA lending by place in Big Horn County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending2
- Hardin, approvals2
- Fort Smith, approvals1
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Hardin | 2 | $4,375,000 |
| Fort Smith | 1 | $1,312,500 |
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Big Horn County
How large is Big Horn County?
- Land area4,995 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Montana counties5th of 56
- Width, east to west118.1 mi
- Height, north to south72.5 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary7
- Residents per square mile of land3
- Establishments per square mile0.04
US Census Bureau county boundary geometry, TIGER, adjacency computed from shared boundary vertices, TIGER county boundaries. US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year. US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Big Horn County
Flood risk in Big Horn County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Big Horn County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 300143
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book3
- Of those, participating in the NFIP3
- NFIP participation rate100.0 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
- Radon levels in Big Horn County, EPA zone predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 4 pCi/LZone 1
The county's own community in the status book, unincorporated Big Horn County (community 300143), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places Big Horn County in radon zone 1, a predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 4 pCi/L. The zone is a screening prediction for the county and does not substitute for a test at an address. 100.0 percent of the county's listed communities participate in the National Flood Insurance Program, per Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26.
Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26. US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Coverage
What this page does not hold.
Traffic counts, zoning and the flood zone at an address are not on this page; they resolve at the address in the platform. How this page was built →
Feasibility studies
When a Big Horn County site needs a document a lender will accept.
The same data layer behind this page is the one the studies are written from. A study for a Big Horn County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202412,891
- Households3,827
- Average household size3.37
- Median household income$58,750
- Median age31.9
Common questions
Big Horn County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Big Horn County, Montana?
The Census Bureau estimates 12,796 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 12,891, in 3,827 households, ranking 15th of 56 Montana counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Big Horn County's population growing?
The population has fallen 2.51 percent since the 2020 census base of 13,125, to 12,796 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 183 births against 149 deaths, with net migration of -63. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Big Horn County?
$58,750. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $143,400, which is 2.4 times income, and median gross rent is $697 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Big Horn County?
181 establishments, employing 1,774 people with an annual payroll of $92.2 m. These are establishments physically operating in the county, not listings. Source: US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
What is employment by industry in Big Horn County?
Retail trade is the largest private sector at 386 jobs, 10.3 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 3,743 jobs at an average annual pay of $55,992, or $1,077 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Big Horn County?
3 7(a) approvals totaling $5.7 m since FY2020, across 3 lenders, with a median approval of $1,975,000, plus 2 504 approvals worth $879,000 since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Big Horn County?
No residential units were authorized by permit in 2024. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Big Horn County?
Zone 1, a predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 4 pCi/L. Source: US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Where do people moving to Big Horn County come from?
The largest single origin is Yellowstone County, with 78 households. Arriving households report an average income of $36,676 against $43,256 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Big Horn County on this page?
No. Annual average daily traffic resolves in the platform rather than in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here. It is a gap we know about rather than a figure we estimated.
Is zoning published for Big Horn County?
No. Nothing on this page presents parcel level zoning, and where a statutory framework applies it is marked as the statewide frame, to be confirmed locally.
Big Horn County
Cities and places in Big Horn.
10 Census places lie wholly or partly in Big Horn County. All 10 carry enough published place level data for a page of their own and are linked.
| Place | Type | Population | SBA 7(a) approvals, projects in this county | Lies in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hardin | city | 3,742 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
| Crow Agency | CDP | 2,192 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Muddy | CDP | 724 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Busby | CDP | 569 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Pryor | CDP | 497 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Wyola | CDP | 481 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Lodge Grass | town | 429 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Fort Smith | CDP | 78 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| St. Xavier | CDP | 55 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Forty Mile Colony | CDP | 0 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |